Mush Meyer's Life
by The Outsider Girl
Summary: This is about what caused Mush to go to New York, and become a Newsie! Please Review.


Mush Meyer  
  
I heard screaming coming from my parents room. I walked up to the door and peaked inside. Father had his arm wrapped around my Mothers neck, and then before I knew it he brought his other hand, which contained a pistol, to my mothers neck.  
  
My mother cried out, "Why are you doing this?"  
  
My father was crying to, "Cause I don't want to use you, I want you to always be mine Loretta," he pulled the trigger, and I watched as my mother fell face first to the floor, then my father pulled the gun to his head, he stared straight into my eyes, "I love you son," he pulled the trigger, and he fell on top of my mother.  
  
I crawled into there room, with tears in my eyes I laid beside them crying, "Wake up Mother, wake up Father," I didn't know why Father took his, and Mothers life then, but I found out at the funeral.  
  
I stood there with my grandparents, "Grandma, will I see Father and Mother again?"  
  
Grandma wrapped me in her arms, "No my Sean, they are looking down on us now."  
  
Grandpa looked at a man, then leaned in towards Grandma, "That is the one that Russell caught Loretta in bed with."  
  
I stared behind me, and then recognized the man, he was Mr. Gilbert from the downstairs Bakery below our apartment, "That's Mr. Gilbert Grandpa, he works in the bakery," I looked at my grandpa confused, I didn't understand why Mr. Gilbert would sleep in my parents bed with Mother, that was Fathers place.  
  
After the funeral, my grandparents told me that we were going to move to Germany, and that they were going to buy I ticket for a boat.   
  
I stared at them, "I don't want to go to Germany!"  
  
Grandpa glared at me, "We are going to Germany first thing in the morning."  
  
When my grandparents were sleeping, I stole thirty from my grandfather's wallet, and then grabbed my belongings, and walked down the streets somewhere in Rhode Island.  
  
I reached the twin station, "Mister how far could I get with this?" I handed him a twenty.  
  
The guy looked at me for a while, then looked at some chart thing, "New York is bound to leave in half an hour."  
  
I nodded, "That's where I am going then." I handed him the money, he gave me a five back, "Thank's Mister," I walked up to the train conductor, and handed him my ticket.  
  
When I got to New York, it seemed like a dream. I couldn't believe that I actually ran away, all the way to New York. I wandered down the streets of what was called the Brooklyn, I watched as Newsboys shouted various head lines out. I heard a kid named Spot, talking to another boy the went by the name Roadie.  
  
Spot grabbed Roadie by the collar, "You aren't going to mess with none of the Manhattan Newsies Roadie, they're on our side when we need them, so don't go starting trouble with there Newsboys."  
  
Roadie brushed Spot's arms off of his collar, "Why not Spot?"  
  
Spot glared, "Cause they have the second biggest number of Newsies, and if we make them our enemies then when the Bronx comes wanting to bust our heads, then we wont have a fare shake. If Manhattan is on our side though then we don't have to worry," he looked in my direction, "Hey kid are you a spy, did the Bronx send you?"  
  
Roadie stood behind me, as Spot stood in front of me, they didn't give me a way out, "Hey kid We ask you a question, answer now!"  
  
I looked at Spot, "I don't know what you're talking about, this is my first time in New York, I was looking for shelter," Father always told me I couldn't raise my voice even if I was mad, or tried to be tough.  
  
Spot glared at Roadie, "I am going to take this Mush character to the Manhattan Lodging house."  
  
I stared at Spot confused, "You aren't going to soak me?"  
  
Spot stared at me for a second, "I don't think that's possible, you were pretty funny out there, you are probably one of the few people that could stay calm, when put in that spot, that Roadie, and I had you in, you soft you know that?"  
  
I nodded, "Yeah my father told me that before, that I was to soft, he said that I could always stay calm in any situation, he was always telling me that I need to be tough."  
  
Spot looked at me, "Your father is right, but you should hold on to what you have now, and just add toughness to those qualities," he looked straight ahead, "Just for the record you know we could have soaked you right?"  
  
I nodded, "I know, I could tell by watching you," I looked straight ahead towards Manhattan, "Why you sending me to Manhattan?"  
  
Spot laughed, "Cause you aren't tough enough for Brooklyn, and you don't give under pressure, you'll fit in with Manhattan," he thought for a while, "What happened to your folks?"  
  
"They died," I kept my eyes straight ahead.  
  
"How they die?"  
  
I got flashes of Father killing Mother, and then himself, I looked at Spot, "Father went mad with jealousy."  
  
"Of what?"  
  
I thought back at what was said at the funeral between my grandfather and my grandmother, "I heard that Mr. Gilbert was in bed with Mother, he was in dad's spot I guess."  
  
Spot stared at me wide eyes; "Your dad caught your mother with this Mr. Gilbert, in the bedroom?"  
  
I shrugged my shoulder, "I don't understand what the big deal was though."  
  
Spot tried to not laugh, "Some people don't make since Mush."  
  
"Why do you call me that?"  
  
"He grinned, "Like I told you, that goes with your personality of what I could tell of you so far."  
  
"How old are you?" I looked at him.  
  
"I am thirteen, how about you?"  
  
I was shocked when I heard him say thirteen, "The same, I thought you were older then me."  
  
Spot grinned, "Yeah I get that a lot," we stopped in front of a 'The Newsboy Lodging House,' "Here you are Mush, I will see you later."  
  
"Thanks Spot!" I watched as he disappeared down the street.  
  
I signed in the book as the old man, who went by the name Kloppman, told me to do, "I am Mush Meyer."  
  
Kloppman introduce me to the other boys, ": That's Blink with the patch, Crutchy with the crutch. Jack Kelly, also known as Cowboy you could see why, Race, Snoddy, Pie-Eater, Snipe-Shooter, and Jake, boy's this is Mush."  
  
I didn't really get to know any of the other Newsies I kept to myself. Blink, and Jack became my friends. Later on in the following year of being a Newsie, I got to become best friends with Dutchy, who I actually recruited in a way. The Newsies became my family. I never told any of the Newsies my first real name. No one knows where I am from, except Dutchy.   
  
Thank you for taking your time to hear my story, 'Carry The Banner Always!' 


End file.
